Improvement in self-loading fire-arm



W. H. RICE; SELF LOADINGYPIREARM.

Patented May 19, 1863,

\VAYNE H. RICE, OF WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT.

EMPROVEMENT 5N SELF-LOADING FIRE-HARM.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 3&60, dated May 19, i863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WAYNE H. RICE, of Vi'indsor, county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the same is described and represented in the following specification and drawings, so as to enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same. I will there fore proceed to describe its construction and operation, refaring to the drawings, in which the same letters indicate like parts in each of from.

. in the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation, with the trigger-guard and slid'e chambcr dropped down, so as to receive its charge from the magazine. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation,

showing the slide-chamber brought up into line with the bore of the barrel by means of the trigger-guard I).

A is the barrel of the arm. 13 is the stock. 0 is the chambered slide. ger-guard. E is the fixed ammunition. F is the magazine for holding the fixed ammunition, and is arran god on the under side of the barrel. G is a spring-follower, for'inoving the ammuillllOll in the magazine toward the slide-chamier.

is the elu'nnber in the slide U, and has a spring or other dctent to-act as friction or holder upon the cartridge to hold it in place in such cases as when it' (the charge) enters the chamber a loosely.

lhe trigger-guard D is hung on a pivot, I), and has arranged on its upper edge a detent, (I, to hold hack the cartridge E while the cartridge E is being discharged from the gun. It is also proride l with a spring-dog, 0, (its shape will be fully understood from the side,

and edge riew in Figs. 3'and 4,) the use of which is to draw down the slide (7 to its proper position for receiving its charge from the magazine, at which point it unhooks itself from show one in this case.

.1) is the lever trig the slide 0, while the guard Dis still moved further down, so that the extended end i of the lever-guard will enter between the first and second cartridges, E and E, in the magazine, and force the first one, E", into the chamber a of the slide 0, and at the same time expel the exploded shcllj (when remaining in the said chamber (1 either into the chamber k of the stock, or through the opening m in the under side of the stock, iiist back of the slide (3.

Fig. 5 shows a modified view of the detent rl and the extended end i of the lever-guard l), in which the extended portion 1'- of the leverguard D is jointed to the lever, the same as the detent'c, and a uniformity of actionis produced between the two (the arm i and the detent e) by a connectinglink, a which causesthe two to work together, thereby dispensing; with the i use of a spring.

I propose to use the common loci; new in use, and therefore have omitted to describe or I have described the arrangement and the mode of its operation without describing in detail. its shape and pror portions, because these may be changed with out changing either its arrangement or opera-v tion. 1

In using this arm I first compress the springfollower G into its chamber at G by means of the pin a, and secure it inthat position by turning it into a notch provided therefor; then insert the charges or fixed ammunition; then unt'astcn the spring-follower and allow it to bear against the charges. Then the arm is ready to bc discharged. By first dropping the trigger-guard lever D into theposition shown at Fig. 2 and the dog 0 becomes detached from the slide C, Wl1ll, the chamber thereof is just in line with the magazine and continues its motion, while the extended end i of the guardlever enters between the first and second car tridges, E and E, and forces the first into the chamber aof the slide 0. Then by returning the guard-lever back to its place the do tent d crowds back the charges in thennagaizine, and the dog a snaps into the catch of the slide, in readiness for a repetition of the loading operation, when the charge E, Fig. 3, is fired from the gun.

I hate cmleavored to describe the construc TENT FFIGE.

lion and operation of my improvement so as. The arrangement or'oombination of the leverto'enable a person skilled to .make' the same guard D, with its extended-arm i, detent d, therefrom. .1, dog 0, with the slide 0, substantially in the '5 I do not claim the cartridge-magazine beplanner as and for the purpose described. neath-the barrel, or the self-loading sliding WAYNE H. RICE. [L. 3.] breech operated by the trigger-guard lever. Witnessesz.

What I claim, therefore, and desireto secure R. H. PHELPS, by Letters Patent, .is- I J EREMY W BLISS. 

